Willis had previously sent a letter to Mayor Tom Giarrante signed by the heads of neighborhood organizations requesting the city council reject the special use permit for TitleMax.

The neighborhood organizations, Willis added, also want the city council to reinstate a moratorium on title loan shops, gold buyers, pawn shops and other like businesses.

“It’s no surprise these enterprises target low income people and they generally claim they fill a need such people have for easy and quick credit that is typically not offered by more conventional lenders,” Willis said.

The fact, he added, is that these types of loans come at a high cost.

“The end result is less money and even more debt for their customers and our community,” Willis said.

Cairo said TitleMax does provide a service some people might find beneficial in an emergency situation, and likened it to someone using a credit card when their car breaks down. TitleMax, he added, is a reputable business with 1,200 stores nationwide. Cairo presented the city council with signatures from people in the area who are in support of plans for the business.

However, Councilwoman Jan Quillman pointed out that most of the signatures were not from area residents, but from other businesses. Quillman said the city should not be settling for just any business to fill a vacant storefront.

Councilman Jim McFarland agreed. He said the city should be trying to attract quality businesses to Joliet.

Giarrante said he checked on the internet and couldn’t even find the interest rate TitleMax charges for the loans.